PokémonThe beloved world of charismatic and powerful “pocket monsters” and their trainers may be fantastical, but it has arguably become one of the most scientifically thought out. The themes of conservation and ecology are intertwined with current video games, popular trading cards and hit animated series.
Video game designer Satoshi Taijiri, who created the first Pokémon match in 1996, was inspired by his childhood love of catching bugs. And 30 years later, the franchise continues to take science seriously: ahead of the release of its new game Pokémon Champions On April 8, The Pokémon Company announced that it was looking to hire employees with a doctorate in science, engineering, agriculture or ecology.
Pokémon It’s not just about advancing your team to win battles or completing the Pokédex (game encyclopedia). It’s about learning Pokémon habitats, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and helping them thrive or even “evolve” into new, stronger versions. Current science permeates the characters and the places where they live. The new very popular video game Pokémon Pokopiareleased in February, is perhaps one of the clearest examples: players restore damaged Pokémon habitats after an environmental disaster. The entire franchise’s use of real-world science is part of why many scientists have become fans who pursue that iconic catchphrase: “Gotta catch ’em all.”
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“The reason why I love Pokémon collects all the animals,” says Gabriel-Philip Santos, co-founder Cosplay for Science and co-host of PBS Aeons. “When I was a kid, I loved doing that. I collected insects and had little aquariums.”
Participants at the Pokémon Europe International Championships in February will get a preview of the new Pokémon Pokopia game on Nintendo Switch 2.
John Keeble/Getty Images
The connections to science are so deep that researchers can easily spot their study subjects while they play. “I know things that look like [Pokémon]. I’ve seen butterflies that look like this. I’ve seen little caterpillars that look like that,” says Greg Pask, an entomologist at Middlebury College.
Here are some examples of over 1,000 Pokémon from different generations and the science behind their history, appearance, and behavior. (A representative for The Pokémon Company declined an interview for this article.)
Insects
Caterpillar is a green caterpillar-like creature, and it transforms into a metapode, an intermediary Nymph Pokémonbefore becoming a stronger Bug-type and Flying-type final form— Without butter. This “evolution” is similar to the metamorphosis of a real-world caterpillar when it turns into a butterfly or moth, Pask explains. For example, before transforming into Butterfree, Caterpie has lower health and a limited number of combat moves, such as the “String Shot”, which reduces an enemy’s speed and is sometimes described as involving silk (real caterpillars are known to make silk). The metapodial, which is equivalent to the hardened cocoon stage of the real insect, has almost no attacking movement. But he has higher defense, which he can further improve with the “Harden” move.
Ninada is based on a cicada not only in shape but also in its life cycle. Just as cicadas leave behind an exoskeleton when they molt, so does Nincada when it evolves. This exoskeleton can be used in battles like any other Pokémon, but it is much weaker, so most players simply enjoy collecting it. “They attack insects very well and with precision Pokémon“, says Pask.
Display of Bug-type Pokémon toys by entomologist Greg Pask in his office at Middlebury College.
Image courtesy of Greg Pask
Aquatic species
A wide range of sea Pokémon are inspired by real creatures of the deep. Octillerymuch like an octopus, has arms covered in suction cups that can be used to manipulate objects in its environment. And as a marine biologist who studies the class of fish that includes sharks, my favorite Pokémon is, of course, the shark-like Sharpedo, easily identified by its gill slits, large dorsal fin, and triangular teeth that it uses for its biting attacks.
Some Pokémon have dark histories inspired by current conservation issues. Take Corsolathe Coral Pokémon. Depending on where the player finds and catches it, “one of the regional variants of Corsola is all-white and Ghost-type and is inspired by coral bleaching in the real world,” Santos says.
Plants
Several plant Pokémon are clearly based on real flora. These include the cactuslike Cacnecovered in armor-like spikes, and the Venus flytrap Carnivinewhich attracts prey into its mouth.
Mammals
Sand Shrewa burrowing Pokémon that lives in the desert, closely resembles the heavily poached pangolin, a small African mammal covered in protective keratin scales. Sandshrew’s moveset involves digging into the ground or rolling into a ball to defend itself, just like pangolins are known to do in the wild.
One of the most common Pokémon is Rattataand the rats on which it is based are one of the most widespread mammals in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica. There are also beaver-like Pokémon, such as Bibarel– deer teeth, paddle tail, dam-building behavior and all – and buffalo-like Pokémon, such as Bouffantwho headbutts like a bison.
Birds
Real birds have inspired many other Pokémon, such as the pigeon analogue. piggy or the analogue of the flamingo Flamigowhich has a long curved neck and a pink body, stands on one leg and lives in large groups.
Other forms of life
Some Pokémon are inspired by mushrooms…Parasectfor example, is a small possessed insect controlled by a large mushroom on its back. The fungus is modeled after parasitic fungi such as Ophiocordyceps,the inspiration for video game zombies in The last of us. Fungi like this sneak into an insect’s tissues to control its muscles and eventually kill it.
There are also a myriad of Pokémon inspired by extinct animals. For example, Anorith—an ancient Pokémon that can be “resurrected” thanks to its in-game fossil—is based on the Burgess Shale Fossil Anomalocarisa marine arthropod that lived around 500 million years ago during the Cambrian Explosion and is known for its segmented armored body and wicked claws.
Science inspired by Pokémon
Just as the natural world and research have profoundly shaped the franchise, Pokémon itself has become a resource for science and education. At least 16 real-world animals are named after Pokémon. Museum exhibits, like the one opening soon at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, and an annual pop-up exhibit created by Pask’s students at Middlebury College use Pokémon to teach the public about nature.
Santos also uses these creatures to inspire a love of our planet’s animals. “A lot of people say, ‘I wish Pokémon were real,'” Santos says. But there are ways to explore real-world animals and environments, just like in fictional games, he notes. “You can learn about them, find them, and catalog them with things like iNaturalist, which is like a Pokédex.”
